# Shere Khan — The Jungle Book character guide

> Shere Khan in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Khan

**First appearance:** 0002-mowgli-s-brothers

## Snapshot

A lame Bengal tiger who burned his feet at a woodcutter's fire and now demands the man-cub as his rightful kill, shouting threats he cannot always back.

## Who they are

Shere Khan is the jungle's loudest grievance, a cattle-killer whose limp and burned paws make him a bully rather than a hunter. He claims Mowgli by right of the kill he never made, and his roar at the cave mouth is answered by Mother Wolf's defiance, which shames him into retreat. His grudge against the boy drives the pack's division and gives the early arc its central threat.

## Relationships

### [Mowgli](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/mowgli)

_rivalry_

Mowgli and Shere Khan are mortal enemies, with the tiger relentlessly hunting the man-cub and Mowgli ultimately seeking to destroy him.

### [Mother Wolf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/mother_wolf)

_rivalry_

Mother Wolf fiercely opposes Shere Khan, defying his claim on Mowgli and protecting the man-cub as her own cub.

### [Akela](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/akela)

_rivalry_

Akela and Shere Khan are adversaries, with the tiger plotting to undermine Akela's leadership and destroy the wolf pack.

### [Mowgli](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/mowgli)

_rivalry_

Mowgli and Shere Khan are mortal enemies, with the tiger relentlessly hunting the man-cub and Mowgli ultimately seeking to destroy him.

### [Mother Wolf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/mother_wolf)

_rivalry_

Mother Wolf fiercely opposes Shere Khan, defying his claim on Mowgli and protecting the man-cub as her own cub.

### [Akela](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/akela)

_rivalry_

Akela and Shere Khan are adversaries, with the tiger plotting to undermine Akela's leadership and destroy the wolf pack.

### [Mother Wolf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/mother_wolf)

_rivalry_

Mother Wolf fiercely opposes Shere Khan, defying his claim on Mowgli and protecting the man-cub as her own cub.

### [Mowgli](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/mowgli)

_rivalry_

Mowgli and Shere Khan are mortal enemies, with the tiger relentlessly hunting the man-cub and Mowgli ultimately seeking to destroy him.

### [Akela](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/akela)

_rivalry_

Akela and Shere Khan are adversaries, with the tiger plotting to undermine Akela's leadership and destroy the wolf pack.

## In the story

### [Mowgli's Brothers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/chapters/mowgli-s-brothers)

The lame tiger who demands Mowgli be handed over; plots against Mowgli by befriending the younger wolves.

### [Tiger! Tiger!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/chapters/tiger-tiger)

Plans to ambush Mowgli at the village gate, lies up in the Waingunga ravine after eating and drinking.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters/shere_khan
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_book_se/characters